Carnation plant named ‘Hilprot’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Hilprot’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large purple-colored double flowers with light pink-colored margins that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HILPROT’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCarnation plant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, growncommercially as a potted and garden plant and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Hilprot’.

The new Carnation plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program is to create new potted Carnation plants thathave uniform plant habit and numerous attractive flowers.

The new Carnation plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in June, 2009 of a proprietaryselection of Dianthus caryophyllus identified as code number 2318160782,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Dianthus caryophyllus‘Margarita’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,335, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Carnation plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in DeKwakel, The Netherlands in September, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Carnation plant by terminal cuttingspropagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands since October, 2010 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Carnation plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Carnation have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Hilprot’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Hilprot’ as a new and distinct Carnation plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large purple-colored double flowers with light pink-colored        margins that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on        strong peduncles.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Carnation differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation are more outwardly spreading than        and not as upright as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Carnation have longer lateral branches then        plants of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Carnation flower a few days earlier than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Flower petals of plants of the new Carnation are more rounded        than flower petals of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Carnation differ from plants of the male parent,‘Margarita’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation have broader leaves than plants        of ‘Margarita’.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Carnation have more petals per        flower than flowers of plants of ‘Margarita’.    -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Carnation are more rounded        than flowers petals of plants of ‘Margarita’.    -   4. Plants of the new Carnation and ‘Margarita’ differ slightly        in flower color.

Plants of the new Carnation can be compared to plants of Dianthuscaryophyllus ‘Hilbreye’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,340. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Carnation differed from plants of ‘Hilbreye’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation were more outwardly spreading        than and not as upright as plants of ‘Hilbreye’.    -   2. Plants of the new Carnation had smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Hilbreye’.    -   3. Plants of the new Carnation and ‘Hilbreye’ differed slightly        in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Carnation plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Carnation plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Hilprot’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following observationsand measurements were grown during the late winter and early spring in12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Kwakel, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial pottedCarnation production. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures averaged 12° C. and light levels averaged 7 klux. Plantswere pinched one time five weeks after planting. Plants used for thedescription were 20 weeks old and plants used for the photograph were 25weeks old. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Hilprot’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus            caryophyllus identified as code number 2318160782, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Margarita’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,335.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at            temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant type and form.—Herbaceous perennial; upright,            outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit;            flattened globular.        -   Branching habit.—Freely-branching growth habit; when            pinched, about seven primary branches develop, each with            about five secondary branches; dense and bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15.9 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 33.3 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 13.3 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Internode length: About 2.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to N137A; waxy            cuticle, close to 188A and 189A. Stem shape: Circular. Stem            interior: Solid.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 10.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly oblanceolate to lanceolate, curved.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate, decurrent.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            143C; towards the base, close to 144B. Fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C; waxy cuticle, close            to 189B; venation, close to 143B. Fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to N137C; waxy cuticle, close to 189B;            venation, close to to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Rotate double flowers, flowers            typically solitary or occasionally in pairs or clusters of            four; freely flowering habit with typically about 42 flowers            developing per plant; flowers positioned above and beyond            the foliar plane on strong peduncles; flowers face mostly            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; clove-like, sweet.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous through            the summer and late summer in The Netherlands; plants begin            flowering about twelve weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 4.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Elliptic to oblong; styles not extruded. Color: Close            to 137A; base, close to 143B and 144A.        -   Petals and petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 20            petals and petaloids per flower arranged in numerous whorls.            Length: About 4.3 cm. Width: About 2.2 cm. Shape: Spatulate.            Apex: Praemorse, crinkled; incisions, medium to many in            quantity and shallow in depth. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to            between 187A and 203A; margins, close to 75C to 75D and            N57A; at the base, close to 145D. When opening, lower            surface: Close to N77B; margins, close to 75B to 75C; at the            base, close to 145D. Fully opened, upper surface: Slightly            darker than 187A; margins, close to 69B to 69C; towards the            base, close to 60B and 61B; at the base, close to 145D;            color does not fade with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to N77B; margins, close to 62C to 62D; at the            base, close to 145D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl;            proximal 60% of the sepals are fused into a            campanulate-shaped calyx; epicalyx, adpressed to calyx,            individual segments are deltoid in shape with short acute            apices. Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape:            Oblong. Apex: Broadly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 138C. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 137A; towards the base, close to 143B and 144A.            Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 138C. Fully opened,            lower surface: Close to N137C; towards the base, close to            143B and 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to N137A; waxy cuticle, close            to 188A and 189A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About three, mostly            deformed. Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color:            Close to 157D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Irregularly oblong. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen:            None observed. Pistils: Quantity: About two per flower.            Pistil length: About 3.1 cm. Stigma shape: Pointed, curved.            Stigma color: Close to 70C. Style length: About 2.8 cm.            Style color: Close to 155A. Style shoulder: None. Ovary            color: Close to 145C. Ovary shape: Ovoid. Ovary texture:            Slightly ribbed. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Carnation.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Carnation have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Carnation    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Carnation have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. and to be    hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Carnation plant named ‘Hilprot’ asillustrated and described.